Trapped in Temptation
by moviebuff001
Summary: Mal and Kaylee are put in quarantine after being exposed to a unique virus
1. Chapter 1

Title: Trapped in Temptation

Author: Carla

Rating: PG-13 for now

Pairing: Mal/Kaylee

Spoilers: Pre-BDM

Summary: Mal and Kaylee are put in quarantine after being exposed to

a unique virus.

Disclaimer: Not mine, they're just fun to play with.

Author Notes: I have no medical knowledge, so you'll have to excuse if I took

some liberties.

"Least they left us some cards."

Mal pushed off the wall from the observation window, to look down at Kaylee. She was sitting on a bare bunk, her bare feet hanging off the edge and on her face encouraging smile.

"Captain, they said we should know in a couple of hours if you two have been infected." Zoe's muffled voice told Mal through the glass window.

Mal sat down next to his mechanic on the small single bunk that adorned the cell. The walls were brown-tinged metal, with a cement ceiling and floor, which left the cell with an even colder feeling. One lone light bulb hung from the ceiling on a string and was gently swaying back and forth, casting moving shadows over the room. It definitely wasn't Alliance, just some makeshift quarantine cell set up by the local government.

"Wanna play a card game?" Kaylee curled her feet up under her and waggled the deck of cards back and forth. She had a smile on her face but there was no mistaking the fear in her eyes.

Mal took the cards from her and started shuffling, he grinned at her, "Think you can handle a game of Crazy Eights?"

He received a smile for his effort and was relieved he could take Kaylee's mind off what was really going on, if only for just a bit. While he dealt out the cards his mind wandered back over the events of the day and what had landed them in this situation.

_Mal and Kaylee were on one of the border planet picking up parts for Serenity in small store. Kaylee had spent most of the time sweetly trying to convince him to buy the upgraded version of whatever part they apparently needed. Mal had to pull on his last reserves of strength not to cave into her requests, especially with the adorable smile she had given him. _

_The store had been fairly busy considering its size, with around ten other people in the small confines of the store. Mal was just about to head to the front counter when a loud explosion had gone off, filling the room with a gas. Mal tried to pull Kaylee out of the store, while covering her mouth with part of his coat but the gas had pulled all the energy out of him. _

_When he felt Kaylee falling, Mal had attempted to pick her up and carry out of the shop but he couldn't seem to find the strength. He ended up falling to the ground, covering Kaylee's now unconscious body with his. Quickly after, he'd fallen into darkness._

_When he woke he was laying on the floor of this room, Kaylee still asleep on the cot. He'd banged on the door and quickly a small, robust man had come up to the window, a clipboard in his hand._

_"Name?"_

_"What in the hell is going on here?"_

_The man sighed and explained in a tired voice, "You were involved in a Lylo explosion and exposed to the virus. You must remain here under quarantine until we can tell whether you were infected or not."_

_Mal heard Kaylee wake up behind him, so he had tried to keep his voice low, "I ain't ever heard of a gorram Lylo explosion, so you better let us out of here."_

_The man stared up at Mal in surprise for a few seconds, before returning his eyes to the clipboard. "Name first."_

_Kaylee moved to the door beside Mal, her eyes questioning, Mal had resisted the urge to slam his fist against the wall in frustration. "Malcolm Reynolds and Kaylee Frye."_

_Half an hour later Zoe had shown up and made it fairly clear that this was no joke. He and Kaylee had to stay in the cell until told otherwise, unless they wanted to risk everyone else's health._

"You know Cap'n considering you suggested this game, I kinda thought you be better at it," Kaylee shot him a teasing smile.

Mal cleared the cards and shuffled them, "Just lettin' you win, is all."

Kaylee leaned closer to him, her voice low, "Doubt that." She watched the cards move around, biting her lip and finally gathered the strength to ask, "What do you think will happen to us?"

Mal stopped his hands and looked at her, the way Kaylee could wear every emotion on her face pulled at his heart in a way nothing else could. He couldn't fight the temptation to pull her to him, so he wrapped his arms around her and gently kissed her head. "My thinking is that we'll play a little cards, which you'll beat me senseless at, get very bored and in a few hours they'll let us outta here, no problems."

Apparently she wasn't as naïve as she sometimes looked, "I think you're lying to make me feel better but thanks for trying."

Mal loosed his grip on Kaylee, so he could look down at her, "Now how about I teach you to play Blackjack?"

"They were involved in a what kind of explosion?" Simon asked, sitting at the kitchen table aboard Serenity.

Zoe was standing at the head of the table, her arms crossed, "Lylo explosion. Apparently it's some sort of organization on this planet known for gas bombing. They target innocent civilian areas in a protest against the government."

It was Book who spoke up next, "It's contagious?"

Wash stood up beside Zoe, "The contagion can be transferred for twenty-four hours after exposure." Wash was trying desperately to keep the grin off his face.

"How deadly is it?" Inara asked.

Zoe shot her husband a look and answered seriously, "Not at all and even if Mal and Kaylee are infected, the symptoms should pass in a day or two."

Finally Wash couldn't contain his laughter and had to hold onto the back of the chair, so he wouldn't fall over. Zoe slapped him lightly on the shoulder and he stopped laughing long enough to utter out, "But it's funny and I have jokes…"

Simon stared strangely at Wash and turned his attention back to Zoe, "Then why such the tight security?"

This time a smile did cross Zoe's lips, "It's sort of a hassle for everyone if the infected get out before the contagion has run its course. It's…a hormonal thing…"

"Mal ain't gonna cry or nothin' is he?" Jayne rudely asked.

Zoe's face was serious again, "That's all we need to talk about over this. We still have some work that needs done." With that Zoe left the kitchen, Wash finally followed behind her.

"So many jokes."

"So how long exactly were you planning on playin' me for?"

Kaylee giggled, "Well, technically, you never did ask if I already knew how to play. You just assumed I couldn't." Her finger was poking him lightly in the thigh emphasizing every word.

Mal threw the cards on the bunk and stood up to stretch his legs, "I'm getting a little tired of you beating me, little Kaylee."

Kaylee stood up next to him, stretching her arms above her head and Mal's attention flashed to the rise of her shirt, more specifically, the slit of skin just above her cargo pants. Without even his notice, he felt his hand reaching towards the pale skin, just to feel the softness. At the last minute Mal reached his hand away, abhorred with himself. He was fully aware that Kaylee was a very good looking creature but he'd always managed to file that behind the idea that she was in his care, his responsibility.

Although if he was entirely honest with himself, it wasn't the first time he'd mixed up that order before. But with her enormous brown eyes and her perfect pink lips and…he definitely needed to sit down.

"Thought you said you were lettin' me win," Kaylee teased at him, unaware of his sudden discomfort. "Sides' you think I grew up with all them brothers and never learned Blackjack?"

Mal tried not jump when Kaylee sat back next to him, her arm brushing his, her hip only a few inches away. He could feel her comforting heat radiating off her and suddenly he was desperate to lose his coat. Standing up again, he pulled off his coat and threw it in a pile on the floor. When he sat down he was several inches away from her, although it was tough on the small cot.

"What do ya figure we might be infected with?" Kaylee was trying to sound unworried but her voice betrayed her.

Mal noticed the hitch in her voice and had to quell the impulse to wrap his arms around her again. "Not sure but Zoe didn't look too concerned so I'm sure it can't be too bad."

Kaylee looked up at him with knowing eyes, "Cap'n, when's Zoe ever looked concerned?"

Mal opened his mouth and then shut it again, knowing she was right. "Well I think she might be a mite concerned if you were in any trouble. Me, she expects to be but you're somethin' special."

Kaylee's worry slid away and was replaced by a huge grin. Soon after it was replaced by a huge yawn, "Think it'd be alright if I could take a little nap? Considerin' we're outta card games for you to win at?" She smiled at him, while poking him in the ribs.

"Think that's a fine idea," Mal agreed a yawn breaking out across his face. He stood up off the bed, intending to make one of the cement floor.

Kaylee laid down on the cot and moved to the front edge, "You don't gotta sleep on the floor, lotsa room up here." Her offer was all kindness and innocence.

Mal was going to decline but she was giving him a look that was so enticing the words just wouldn't come out. He climbed over her, placing his coat underneath their heads as a pillow. He was facing her back but made sure there was still some space between them, although the cot didn't allow for much. He stared at the back of Kaylee's head for awhile, before finally letting sleep claim him.

"Hormones?" Simon was charging up to the flight deck, quickly approaching Zoe. "I looked up Lylo explosions on the Cortex, it's not some tiny hormonal thing. You're just leaving her in some cell with him after they've been exposed to Pheromiam?"

Zoe sighed, the last person she wanted to deal with was Simon, "It's out of my hands. The township is responsible for the victims of the bombs, they have their own protocol."

Wash turned from the consol, "Why are we not finding this funny?" He was only responded with glares from both parties. "Okay. But they should be fine, they're both adults. I'm sure they can handle it. Now can we get back to the laughing?"

Simon ignored Wash, "There's a reason it's illegal. It completely removes a person's inhibitions, while increasing their sex drive tenfold."

Zoe smiled understandingly at Simon, "So does a good bottle of Kaylee's homemade wine. It can't make them do anything they don't want to do"

"It's not like Mal will jump on her and kill her," Wash offered and then he paused for a moment, grin crossing his face. "He may jump her but…"

Simon was not amused at all, in fact he was becoming increasingly more worried. "Why not separate them, put them in separate rooms."

Wash jumped quickly on this, "Well apparently they become fairly aggressive alone, one guy tried to break the glass with his head. Also, there was an interesting event involving one girl and the door knob that-" Wash stopped when he saw the look Zoe was giving him, "…that needs not to be told again."

"**Fahng-sheen** Simon, nothing will happen."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Oh who was I kidding with the PG-13, I don't even know how to write those.

**Ai ya, hwai leh**- Shit on my head

chùsheng xai-jiao de xiang huo- Animal Fucking Bastard

There was definitely something to worry about right now. For instance, why was it that Kaylee could not keep her eyes off the way Mal's pants were clinging to every part of his lower body? As well, how could the release of a few buttons from the top of his shirt cause her stomach to do such flips?

During her sleep, Kaylee had turned around so she was now facing Mal, who was still asleep. The cot was so small the she could feel the heat of his body hit hers enticingly. Kaylee let her eyes wonder up and down her Captain's body, in a way she'd never thought to before…except when she first came on board Serenity. She'd definitely had spent some time contemplating this man that had taken her away on a grand adventure but she'd grown out of it. Now she liked Simon.

Right?

Kaylee chanted that over and over, as she found her lips moving closer to Mal's. But the temptation just to see how he tasted, how his lips felt, was just too much for her. She bit the bottom of her lip, trying to come up with some sort of excuse not to do what she wanted so badly to do. But his breath sent a tingling through her entire body and she just couldn't stop herself…

"Hello Kaylee."

Kaylee rolled off the cot and was to the other side of the cell before Mal had barely opened his eyes. "Hiya Cap'n," her voice squeaked like a school girl talking to her first crush.

Mal sat up rubbing his hands over his eyes and quickly noticed something. His hands quickly moved to sit in his lap and awkwardly crossed his leg over his knee, in order to hide what he was…feeling. Then he noticed the way Kaylee seemed to be as far away as possible from him. **_Ai ya, hwai leh_**! "Everything alright?" He fearfully asked.

Kaylee gave him a forced smile, "Just fine, Cap'n." She was desperately hoping he hadn't noticed what she was about to do, she knew he'd probably just ignore it but all the same but still, she couldn't stand the embarrassment.

Mal was unconvinced of her smile and therefore felt like _chùsheng xai-jiao de xiang huo_. Scum of the 'verse. He'd first put his totally innocent mechanic in danger of dying of some biological weapon and now he was lusting after her, like a piece of meat. Mal couldn't understand, what was making his brain go to liquid and his…other parts of his body, as hard a rock? He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on something else, anything else. Distances between planets, how many monkeys it took to screw in a light bulb, death, his guilt. Slowly he felt his heart rate slow down and finally he was able to open his eyes, with ability to move around freely.

Kaylee, who was still standing on the other side of the room, had her eyes plastered on Mal. She took his reaction to be anger towards her, he was trying to calm himself down and then he was going to lecture her. Despite her guilt she couldn't still the heat running through her body. Just looking at him made her want to run across the cell, jump on his lap and cover his body with her lips.

What was going on with her? Mal wasn't the kind of guy she went after; she liked pretty guys, like Simon and Mal wasn't that at all. Mal was…he was her Captain, her friend but he was dangerous…and rugged and heroic and sexy as hell. Really, how was she to resist that? And when had her feet made her cross the entire room?

When Mal had finally opened his eyes, he stared to the left of her feet and it was then that Kaylee realized something. The way he'd been sitting, the look on his face…she'd been around enough guys when she was growing up to know what that meant. Her mouth fell open and she couldn't stop the grin that was spreading across her face.

Once Mal had decided he was well enough, he finally raised his eyes to Kaylee, who he hadn't realized was standing right over him, making the most ridiculous face. No, not ridiculous but like she'd caught him in something and she was…happy about it?

Kaylee erupted into a small giggle and threw her hands up to her mouth to stop herself. Mal stood up but leaned down so their faces were close, "Not funny."

Kaylee nodded and tried to stop her laughing, it wasn't that she found it particularly funny, it was just so un-Captainy. But now that he was glaring down at her and particularly the fact that he was also so incredibly close, Kaylee's laugh turned into a silent moan.

"Zoe?"

Zoe took a deep breath, she was getting a little frustrated with being in charge, "Yes Inara?"

Inara stepped lightly down the stairs into the cargo bay, her hands carefully clasped in front of her, "I was thinking I could send a wave to some of my contacts. Whatever Mal and Kaylee have been infected with, even if they don't have an antidote on this planet, there might be one on another."

Zoe was glad she was alone in the cargo bay, as she was fully aware of Inara's feelings towards Mal, whether she was aware of them or not. Zoe crossed her arms in front of her and pressed her lips firmly together before answering. "It was Pheromiam," Zoe was also aware that Inara would know exactly what that was.

Inara visibly paled, "Oh."

Zoe took a step towards Inara, "We don't even know if they're infected yet."

Inara gave a tiny laugh, "He certainly gets himself into interesting trouble." She stared at her shoes for several seconds, "I'm a little worried about Kaylee."

Zoe nodded, "The Captain cares too much about her to let anything happen."

Inara gave a small nod, "People used to think that Companions used Pheromiam. They were worried that is was akin to rape, that's why it was outlawed. In actuality, it wouldn't have been any help to Companions, even if they lowered themselves to use it. It will increase your sex drive but not your attraction."

Zoe wasn't quite sure why Inara was telling her this but she figured it wasn't actually for her benefit. Zoe was becoming slightly worried about the whole situation the more she thought about it. She originally had seen the humour in it, it would be a something to hold over the Captain head, not that she'd actually mention it. Now she was realizing this was a slightly more dangerous situation. Inara was right, they should be worried about Kaylee. Zoe stood firm that Mal wouldn't bring any harm to Kaylee.

"That's why I'm worried about Kaylee." Inara vocalized Zoe's thought.

So he'd been fine for a total of ten seconds, then Kaylee had lost her giggling innocent face and had replaced it with an intensely arousing stare. And Mal was becoming more and more convinced that he wasn't the only one in an stimulated state. Out of ideas, he took Kaylee's shoulders and turned her so she was facing away from him.

"Cap'n?"

Oh, he would have really felt like a dirty man if she hadn't said that word on a wave of a sigh. He had to reach deep down into his limited good nature not to lower his mouth to the curve of her neck. As a sort of trade with himself, he kept his hands resting on her shoulders, though he had to resist from letting his fingers explore the skin beneath her shirt.

Despite herself, Kaylee leaned back into his arms, not a foreign place by any means but the context this time was entirely new. She felt more than heard, Mal's breath catch. Her brain was buzzing with his entire essence; his scent, the hard muscles behind her back, his desire. As strange as it was, she was absolutely sure Mal was feeling the same overwhelming need as she. Where this all had come from she had no idea but at this point, she didn't care.

His hands never moved from her shoulders but Mal couldn't stop himself from letting his face fall into her hair. The way she smelled, like honey and engine oil, was engulfing his entire sensory system. He could think of nothing more than letting his lips test the taste of her neck. With the slightest of strokes, he allowed his lips to graze her neck. The softness of her skin finally brought him back to normal consciousness.

"Kaylee, I think there's something wrong." He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

"Course there is," Kaylee didn't attempt to keep the bitterness out of her voice. She was fully aware that this was a strange situation; her own body seemed to have taken over her brain. And her Captain certainly was acting out of character but that didn't make it hurt any less.

"You gotta be drunk or out in the middle o'nowhere for me to seem attractive." She was very glad she was facing away from him, she couldn't bare it if he could see her eyes.

"Kaylee," he growled very close to her ear, his breath teasing the skin of her neck.

"Don't bother, I gorram get it."

Mal's hands slid down her arms until they grasped her hands firmly. "You know that ain't true. Don't make this into something it ain't," his voice held a tinge of frustration but he let his care for Kaylee rule his tone. "Admit it, this only happened since we got into this cell." He turned Kaylee around to face him, "You know what I think of you. You Miss Kaylee Frye are the most brilliant mechanic in the entire 'verse. You got a smile and eyes that'd melt the hardest o'criminals." He was fighting his lust the entire time but Kaylee was much too important to him, to fall into that trap. "But I ain't ever thought of you in any indecent way before now, so I gotta wonder what's going on."

When he finished, he was afraid to look her in the eyes, petrified he'd hurt her. But she looked back at him with suddenly clear eyes, there was embarrassment there but not pain. He gave her the largest smile he could muster and finally released her hand.

Kaylee walked to the window of the cell and yelled for the guard, surprising Mal with her sudden initiative. "Well, we could stand here bein' uncomfortable or we can ask for a solution."

Mal ignored the sudden flip of his stomach that had nothing to do with his infected desire.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Not mine, just using them to avoid boredom.

A/N: So this one's a little short but now that I know where this is going haha gulp they'll be longer after this.

"What do you mean you can't give us anything?!"

The poor man on the other side of the cell door took Mal's angry tone with a tired sigh. "Like I told you, like I told your friend and like I told _you_ again. We don't have anything to give you." He crossed his arms and looked ready to flee when Kaylee's head popped into his view.

"Hi," she gave him her biggest smile. "Couldn' you just drug us so we're knocked out or somethin'?"

The little man's head slumped forwards in frustration, "Yeah, no problem. We should have thought of that year's ago." The man moved closer to the glass, his eyes angry enough to scare a bit of Kaylee, despite his size. "You've already been exposed to one complicated toxin, we're not throwing more chemicals in you." With that he turned around and stamped off, probably to deal with another exposed couple.

Kaylee turned to Mal and chewed her bottom lip, "Guess that's it then, unless you want me to hit you with somethin'."

Mal chuckled, strangely relaxed, "No that's alright Kaylee." He realized they were standing fairly close to each other so he quickly remedied that by moving to the other side of the cell.

Kaylee burst into laughter at his actions, "I've never had no one want to sex me so much that they gotta sit on the other side o'the room."

Mal sank to the floor, crossing his legs and leaning against the cold wall of the cell. He ran a hand threw his hair, a smile firmly in place, "I have a feeling that ain't entirely true."

Kaylee put her hands on her hips and swayed them back and forth playfully, "You sayin' I'm pretty, Captain?"

Mal inwardly groaned, this certainly wasn't going how he wanted it to. "Kaylee," he warned.

Kaylee slowly slid across the room, a smile tugging at her lips, "Cause you ain't that bad looking sometimes."

"Sometimes?!"

Kaylee moved so she was just in front of him, that Playful Kaylee Smile Mal had fallen for the moment he met her, staring him in the face. "Just when you ain't scowlin'."

At that Mal was justifiably miffed, "I don't scowl, I…look dangerously rugged." Though his voice was playful, he felt his body heat rising and his heart nearing a dangerous speed.

Kaylee crouched in front of him, "Do too." Even though in the back of her head she was telling herself not to go into this territory, Kaylee couldn't help but flirt. She also couldn't seem to keep herself farther than a foot from him and she desperately wished for less space than that.

Mal moved his head towards Kaylee's, despite a voice far, far away telling him to stop. "Don't." The playfulness had dropped from his voice but so had it from her face.

Kaylee moved her face so she could feel Mal's hot breath against her lips, "Do."

He was lost, falling, there was no way of stopping it. Whatever rational, professional, wait when was he ever professional? Anyways whatever force that had been restraining him before, was gone. His lips crashed to Kaylee's, delving his tongue roughly into her open, wanting mouth. His hands pulled her to him, so she was sitting in his lap, legs on either side of his body.

Every sense was filled with heat and want. All he could smell was Kaylee and at that moment that was all he ever wanted to smell ever again. His one hand brutally curled in her hair, while the other tried to pull her even closer. He felt, more than heard her sighs and knew the noises he was making were just as desperate.

Kaylee was fully aware that she'd been teasing him, toying with his obvious lack of control but she'd still been shocked when he crashed his lips to hers. Not an unpleasant situation though, as it was exactly what she wanted. His intensity might have overwhelmed her, if she wasn't shaking with just as much need for him. When he had pulled her to him, she couldn't find a place close enough to him.

Her fingers ground into the muscles in his neck, her other hand exploring the clothed muscles of his chest. Part of her body screamed for oxygen, the other for him, she ignored the former. She was drowning in his taste but her tongue wasn't able to get enough of him.

Mal's hand desperately sought that tiny bit of skin beneath her T-shirt that had started this whole thing. He ran his hand across the soft skin of her abdomen, slowly moving it up, bringing the shirt with it. He felt her pull at the buttons on his shirt, her hands heating his skin to an impossible temperature. He dropped her shirt behind her and helped to rid himself of his suspenders and shirt. His mouth moved instantly to her neck, instantly enthralled with the noise she made when he did.

Her nails raked the skin of his back, while she tilted her pelvis down to meet him. Encouraged at the feeling, he laid Kaylee down on the pavement and hovered just over her. Somewhere in the back of his brain, he worried about the cement floor and so he flipped them so he was now on bottom. Not a particularly uncomfortable position.

Once Mal had flipped them, Kaylee took advantage of the opportunity to ravage the tight skin of his neck. Her tongue teased a sensitive spot behind his ear and his moan was the most glorious thing she'd ever heard. He lifted his head and she felt him frantically exploring the skin above her bra.

She wanted more and from the hardness she could feel against her hip, she knew he did too. There just didn't seem enough time to explore him fully, she couldn't wait any longer.

"So they're not infected?" Zoe confirmed with the little man at the front of the make-shift hospital.

"No. We weren't sure until now but both of their blood work came back negative." He flicked through his files again, "They did complain of some discomfort, so they may have had a small amount of toxin in them but not enough to do much harm."

Zoe sighed in relief, "So there isn't a chance that they'd…"

The little man smiled back at her, relieved he wouldn't be on the end of another yelling spree, "No, worst case, they might have an excess of energy but that's all."

Wash was practically bouncing behind Zoe, "Can I go get them, please? That would make my year."

Zoe rolled her eyes and followed the man back to where Mal and Kaylee were being held, "Sweetie, don't forget what I said."

Wash gave the best adult pout he could muster, "But it's funny. I'm sure the Captain will see the humour in it. Really." Zoe shot him an irritated glance over her shoulder. "Okay probably not. We'll just pretend nothing ever happened."

They had finally reached the door and the little man fumbled through his keys for the right one. Zoe turned to Wash, as she followed the man into the open door. "Exactly and since nothing actually did happ-"

Wash was quick behind her when he saw her hesitation. To be completely honest, he was totally surprised to see Kaylee and Mal in the position they were in.

"Hmm, sort of isn't as funny now."

A/N: Haha, sorry, had to stop there for this chapter. I just felt somehow wrong putting them in that cliché situation and leaving it there. More to come. Totally OT but in my Lit class today we were talking about our favorite dystopian films, books etc. and like FOUR people (in a fairly small class) mentioned Serenity. Yay!! Please review 


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